Vacuum cleaner dust brush supporting means



March 23', 1954 W O, LANGILLE 2,672,643

VACUUM CLEANER DUST BRUSH SUPPORT-ING MEANS Fued Ma'ch 27, 195oJimena/oz Wilfred Lal/gille Wz'fness 9 a@ yaf 3..

Patented Mar. 23, 1954 VACUUM CLEANER yDUST BRU-SH SUPPORTING MEANSWilfred 0. Langille, Chester,

N. 3., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth,

ia .corporation of New Jersey Application March 27, 1950, Serial No.152,199

'5 Claims. l

This invention relates to 'ambulatory type vacuum cleaners, and moreparticularly `to vacuum cleaners constructed from upper and lower casingshells joined together to house and support a rotary dust-brush andother operative elements of the cleaner.

Patent application, Serial No. 80,634, led March 10, 1949, now PatentNo. 2,649,609, relates to an ambulatory type vacuum cleaner having `anupper casing shell and a lower casing shell joined together to house arotary dust-brush carried by the free ends Aof a pair of pivotallymounted arms, and the present invention has for one of its primaryobjects to provide an improved vacuum cleaner or the type shown inPatent No. 2,649,609, supra.

VAnother object of the invention is to `provi-cie means for pivotallymounting the brush supporting karms of .a vacuum cleaner in such -amanner as to assure free iloating movement of the arms and the brush,supported thereby.

.A further yobject Aof the invention is to provide improved cushioningmeans for limiting the upward .and downward movement of a floating dustbrush .and the arms supporting said brush.

l.Another object of .the invention is to provide a means for preventingdirt and d-ust `from collecting at :the pivot points of a pair of vacuumcleaner brush :supporting arms.

With the above and other objects in View, as will hereinafter appear,the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements ofparts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsof a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the severalfeatures of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art.

'In 'the drawings, which form a part yof this specication:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an ambulatory type vacuum cleanerembodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the 'vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 1,portions of 'the upper casing shell being broken away to disclosefeatures `of internal construction;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged lfragmentary vsectional view taken on the line 3-3o'f Fig. 1'; and

-Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary -sectional view taken on the line 4-4of Fig. 1.

A vacuum cleaner, embodying the presen-t invention, is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and comprises `a main body portion I-Ipropelled on front fand rear supporting wheels I2 and i3, and thelvacuum cleaner has a dust bag I# into which dirt is discharged. Themain body i2 portion 'itl includes an upper casing shell It and a lowercasing shell 1I 1 the two shells being joined on a slightlyinclinedplane indicated by the numeral 18. The lower casing shell il isremovably held 'to the upper 'casing shell lo by a releasable latchmechanism I9 and keeper 2i), both of which are fully illustrated anddescribed in a patent application Serial No. 16,716, iiled March 24,1948, now Patent No. 2,532,432. The lower lcasing .shell il, issubstantially IU -shaped in its general, plan view outline 'and has anupfac'ing dust-com veying cavity, consisting Aof a pair of upfacing,dust-'conducting leg cavity portions 2i and 2l, extending substantiallyparallel to outer sidewalls 22 'and Z2' ofthe lower vshell H, and an upfacing, Idust conducting and brush 'housing cavity portion 23 ext-endingalong the front wall 24 of the shell il and Aconnecting the forward endsoi the cavity portions 2i and 2l'. The cavityportions 2-1-23--21 larebounded inwardly by 'a ilsh-aped inner wall 25. In addition to theabove, the lower Acasing shell fll is provided with Aa pair of `upiacingbrush-arm housing ycavity portions 26 and 26" which are substantiallyparallel to the cavity portions 2i and 2| respectfully. The cavityportion 2B is bounded on one side by the side wall 2'2 'and on the otherside by an upstanding partition or lwall 21 formed integral with thelower casing shell l 'l'. The rear end ofthe cavity portion 26 is closedby a continuation vof the `wail 22, which continuation is designated as28 and by a ycontinuation of the partition '27, which con* tinuation isdesignated as '3o. The front end of the cavity 2t isopen except for-aresilient bumper 29 anda portion of a resilient bumper 3-9, presently tobe described. In :like manner lthe cavity portion 26 is bounded V'onyone side bythe side wall 22' and on the other -side by an upstandingpartition or wall 21'. The rear end of the cavi-ty portion 26" is`closed by a continuation of the wall 22', which is designated Ias 28,land by a continuation of the partition 21', which continuation isdesignated as 3o. The front end of the cavity portion 2;6 is open'except 'for a resilient bumper 29" ently to be described.

"The upper casing shell 'I6 has a downfacing U-shaped dust conductingcavity which is `coniplemental to the upfacing lil-shaped vcavity '2|-23-2 l' of they lower shell il, the said downiac.- ing Icavityyconsisting Aof a -pair of downfacing dust conducting leg cavityAportions '-I and 31 extending substantially parallel to respectiveouter si-de walls 32 and 32" of the shell t8 `anda downfacing, dustconducting and brush housing cavity portion 33 4extending along theAiront wailV 3&1 or the upper shell It yand connecting the ror-` and aportion of ya resilient bumper 39" pres Ward ends of the leg cavityportions 3i and 3|. The cavity portions 3 l-33'3 l are bounded inwardlyby a U-shaped inner wall 35, that is complemental to the U-shaped innerwall 25. In addition to the above, the upper casing shell I6 is providedwith a pair of downfacing brush-arm housing cavity portions 3B and 36'which are parallel to the cavity portions 3l and 3l' respectively; thecavity portion 36 is bounded by the outer side wall 32 and on the otherside by a depending partition 31. The rear end of the cavity portion 36is closed by a continuation of the side wall 32 which continuation isdesignated as 38, and by a continuation of the partition 31, whichcontinuation is designated as 40. The front end of the cavity portion 36is closed by a resilient bumper 39 presently to be described. In likemanner the cavity portion 36' is bounded on one side by the outer sidewall 32' and on the other side by a depending partition 31'. The rearend of cavity portion 36' is closed by a continuation of the wall 32',which continuation is designated as 38', and by a continuation of thepartition 31', which continuation is designated as 40. 'I'he front endof the cavity portion 36 is closed by a resilient bumper 32 presently tobe described.

When the lower casing shell I1 is secured or latched to the upper casingshell IB, the complemental U-shaped cavity portions 2l-23-2i' of thelower casing shell i1 and the U-shaped cavity portions 3l-33-3l of theupper casing shell I6 combine to form a U-shaped cavity which has anopen mouth 44 for ingress oi dust laden air, and a pair of concentricegresses 46-45' through which the dust laden air passes to the bag I4 byway of a motor driven dual fan unit, indicated generally by 41 and fullydescribed in a patent application Serial No. 784,165, iled November 5,1947, now Patent No. 2,540,178. Also the cavity portions 26 and 36, aswell as the cavity portions 26' and 36', combine to form a pair ofspaced tubular shaped cavities 26-36 and 26'-36 for respectively housinga pair of brush supporting arms 48 and 48' which are similar to thebrush supporting arms set forth in the Patent No. 2,649,609 supra. Asfully set forth in the Patent No. 2,649,609, the rear ends of arms 48and 48' are supported from a pair of offset brackets 49-49' the upperends of which are secured in recesses provided in the opposite sidewalls 32--32 of the upper shell l5. The lower end of each bracket 49 and49 is apertured to accommodate a pivot pin i or 5l', which pivotallymounts the rear ends of the brush support arms 48-48'. Also, in themanner fully set forth in Patent No. 2,649,609, the forward ends of lthearms 48-48' rotatably carry a rotary dust brush 52 having a plurality ofbristles 53. A belt 54, driven by a shaft pulley 56 of the motor-fanunit 41 drives the rotary dust brush 52.

As best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the bracket 49, the pivot 5| and the morethan half of the length of the arm 48 are housed in the cavity 26-36,the forward end of the arm 48 extending forwardly through an apertureprovided between the lower end of the bumper 39 and the upper end of thebumper 29. In like manner, the bracket 49', the pivot 5|' and thegreater part of arm 48 are housed in the cavity 26-36 and the forwardend of the arm 48' extends through an aperture located between thebumpers 29'-39'. From this it can be seen that the brackets 49 and 49',and the pivoted ends of the arms 4B and 48' are housed in the tubularcavities 26-36 and` 2636 respectively, thus being shielded from the dustladen air which is picked up by the mouth 44 and carried to the bag I4.It will also be seen that the vertical movement of the arms 43 and 48and thus the vertical movement of the rotary dust brush 52 are limitedby the resilient bumpers 29-39 and 29-39. These bumpers are cementedinto the cavity portions 26, 35, 26', or 36 as the case may be byadhesive and thus may be removed and replaced in the event they becomeworn from long usage.

In order to prevent the vacuum cleaner from marring furniture, certainouter surfaces of the main body portion ll are covered with resilientmaterial, thereby providing bumpers ISb and 11b; these bumpers beingmore fully described in U. S. Patents Nos. 2,540,178 and 2,575,554.

From the above description and the attached drawings, it will be evidentthat the pivots 5I and 5l' and the major portion of the arms 48 and 48are housed in tubular cavities. The rear ends of the two tubularcavities are closed and, since the forward ends of these cavities aresubstantially closed by the bumpers, it is evident that very little ifany dirt or dust, that may be picked up by the vacuum cleaner, will getinto the cavities to interfere with the movement of the arms 48 and 48'or to foul the pivots 5I-5l. Furthermore, the upward and downwardmovements of the arms 4S and 48', and thus the movements of the dustbrush 52, are limited by the size of the rubber bumpers 29-39 and 28-39.Changing the size of the bumpers, allows greater or less verticalmovement of the brush 52.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis:

1.' A vacuum cleaner, comprising, a cavitied upper casing shell; acavitied lower casing shell attached to said upper casing shell, saidlower casing shell being provided in its lower portion with asuction-mouth opening, and each of said shells being provided with afront wall, spaced outer side walls, an inner wall and a partition wall,the latter being located adjacent to one of said outer side walls, saidfront walls and portions of said inner walls dening a nozzle cavityportion, one set of said outer side walls and said partition wallsdefining a side cavity portion, the forward end of said side cavityportion being in communication with the nozzle cavity portion, saidpartition walls and portions of said inner walls defining a dustconducting cavity portion of which the forward end is in communicationwith said nozzle cavity portion; a motor-fan unit supported by saidcasing shells; means connecting said dust conducting cavity portion withthe fan of said motor-ian unit; a pair of pivots of which one is locatedin said side cavity portion; a,

pair of support arms carried by said pivots and having at least one armextending along said side cavity portion and into said nozzle cavitypor-- tion; a rotary dust-brush located in said nozzle cavity portionadjacent to said mouth opening and rotatably supported by the free endsof said support arms; bumpers carried adjacent to the forward end ofsaid side cavity portion, said bumpers being engaged by one of saidarms; and means for driving said brush from the motor of said motor-fanunit.

2. A vacuum cleaner, comprising, a cavitied upper casing shell; acavitied lower casing shell" secured to said upper casing shell, saidlower casing shell being provided in its lower portion with asuction-mouth opening, and each of said shells being provided with afront wall, spaced outer.

side walls, an inner wall and partition walls, the latter being locatedadjacent to said outer side walls, said front walls and portions of saidinner walls defining a nozzle cavity portion, said outer side Walls andsaid partition walls defining side cavity portions, the forward ends ofsaid side cavity portions being in communication with the nozzle cavityportion, said partition walls and portions of said inner walls definingdust conducting cavity portions of which the forward ends are incommunication with said nozzle cavity portion; a dual-fan motor-fan unitsupported by said casing shells; means connecting each of said dustconducting cavity portions with one of the fans of said motor-fan unit;a pair of pivots located in said side cavity portions; a pair of supportarms carried by said pivots and having arms extending along said sidecavity portions and into said nozzle cavity portion; a rotary dustbrushlocated in said nozzle cavity portion adjacent to said mouth opening androtatably supported by the free ends of said support arms; bumperscarried adjacent to the forward ends of each of said side cavityportions, said bumpers being engaged by said arms; and means for drivingsaid brush from the motor of said motorfan unit.

3, A vacuum cleaner, comprising, a cavitied upper casing shell; acavitied lower casing shell secured to said upper casing shell, saidlower casing shell being provided in its lower portion with asuction-mouth opening, and each of said shells being provided with afront Wall, spaced outer side walls, a U-shaped inner wall and partitionwalls, the latter extending substantially parallel to and inside of saidouter side walls, said front walls and portions of said inner wallsdefining a nozzle cavity portion extending along the front of the vacuumcleaner, said outer side walls and said partition walls defining sidecavity portions Y extending along the side of the vacuum cleaner, theforward ends of said side cavity portions being in communication withthe nozzle cavity portion, said partition walls and portions of saidinner walls parallel thereto dening dust conducting cavity portions ofwhich the forward ends are in communication with said nozzle cavityportion; a dual-fan motor-fan unit supported by said casing shells;means connecting each of said dust conducting cavity portions with oneof the fans of said motor-fan unit; a pair of pivots located in y saidside cavity portions; a pair of support arms carried by said pivots andhaving arms extending along said side cavity portions and into saidnozzle cavity portion; a rotary dust-brush cated in said nozzle cavityportion adjacent to said mouth opening and rotatably supported by thefree ends of said support arms; resilient bumpers carried adjacent tothe forward ends of each of said side cavity portions, said bumpersbeing engaged by said arms; and means for driving said brush from themotor of said motor-fan unit.

4. A vacuum cleaner, comprising, a cavitied upper casing shell; acavitied lower casing shell secured to said upper casing shell, saidlower casing shell being provided in its lower portion with asuction-mouth opening, and each of said shells being provided with afront wall, spaced outer side walls, an inner wall and partition walls,the latter being located adjacent to said outer side walls, said frontwalls and portions of said inner walls defining a. nozzle cavityportion, said outer side walls and said partition walls dening sidecavity portions. the forward ends of said side cavity portions being incommunication with the nozzle cavity portion, said partition walls andportions of said inner walls dening "dust conducting cavity portions ofwhich the forward ends are in communication with said nozzle cavityportion; a dual-fan motor-fan unit supported by said casing shells;means connecting each of said dust conducting cavity portions with oneof the fans of said motor-fan unit; a pair of pivots carried by saidupper casing shell, one being located in each of said side cavityportions; a pair of support arms of which the ends are carried by saidpivots and arms of which the free ends extend along said side cavityportions and into said nozzle cavity portion; a rotary dust-brushlocated in said nozzle cavity portion adjacent to said mouth opening androtatably supported by the free ends of said support arms; a pair ofresilient bumpers carried in the forward ends of each oi said sidecavity portions, in each case one of said bumpers being below saidsupport arm and the other of said bumpers being above said support arm;and means for driving said brush from the motor of said motor-fan unit.

5. A vacuum cleaner, comprising, a cavitied upper casing shell; acavitied lower casing shell secured to said upper casing shell, saidlower casing shell being provided in its lower portion with asuction-mouth opening, and each of said shells being provided with afront wall, spaced outer side walls, a U-shaped inner wall and partitionwalls, the latter extending substantially parallel to and inside of saidouter side walls, said front walls and portions of said inner wallsdelining a nozzle cavity portion extending along the front of the vacuumcleaner, said outer side walls and said partition walls defining sidecavity portions extending along the sides of said vacuum cleaner, theforward ends of said side cavity portions being in communication withopposite ends of the nozzle cavity portion, said partition walls andportions of said inner walls parallel thereto defining dust conductingcavity portions of which the forward ends are in communication withopposite ends of said nozzle cavity portion; a dualfan motor-fan unitsupported by said casing shells; means connecting each of said dustconducting cavity portions with one of the fans of said motor-fan unit;a pair of pivots carried by said upper casing shell, one being locatedin each of said side cavity portions; a pair of support arms of whichthe ends are carried by said pivots and arms of which the free endsextend along said side cavity portions and into said nozzle cavityportion; a rotary dust-brush located in said nozzle cavity portionadjacent to said mouth opening and rotatably supported by the free endsof said support arms; a pair of resilient bumpers carried in the forwardends of each of said side cavity portions, in each case one of saidbumpers being below said support arm and the other of said bumpers beingabove said support arm; and means for driving said brush from the motorof said motor-fan unit.

WILFRED O. LANGILLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,689,089 Teves Oct. 23, 1928 1,827,402 Reddig Oct. 13, 19311,854,042 Kern Apr. 12, 1932 2,253,997 Becker Aug. 26, 1941 2,416,420Taylor Feb. 25, 1947 2,540,178 Smith Feb. 6, 1951

